CNN has obtained new video of the shooting of a 23-year-old African American man by police in Saint Louis. The man is said to be mentally disturbed. Officers say he was waving a knife and charged at them. Watch the video and decide for yourself. Anderson also discussed the case with Chris Cuomo who has been reporting on this story.

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moabking2014

I do not understand all the "what if" and "did he have a knife". The man was shot and killed. He did not vanish, he fell to the ground. Did he have a knife in his hand or candy that he stole? Where is the answer? Another coverup?

Police are trained to deal with lethal threats by stopping the threat by shooting "center mass". This can often lead to death. These officers were trained that someone within 21 feet of them with a knife can end their life. In training this is demonstrated with fake knives so you understand how real the threat is from a person with a knife. The suspect got much closer than this, meaning the officers were holding back from where their training taught them to shoot (possibly putting their life in danger). I am disappointed that such accoplished journalists report in such a one sided manner. In my opinion the piece seems to be attempting to put doubt in the readers mind that this man was shot for some other reason than self defense. There is no shooting the knife out of someones hand, or shooting someone in the leg to slow them down, or tasing them instead of shooting them. If someone is coming at you with a knife you assume they are trying to end your life and you use the most sure way to end the threat, period. To think of the situation any other way is naive and not based in reality. This video is raw reality. If you come at a police officer with a knife you will likely be shot and possibly die. I am very disappointed in Anderson Cooper, ratings it seems are trumping integrity. Shame.

They had enough time to consider shooting him in the leg. This would have stopped him from walking, he would have been alive in the end and detained. But they had no reason to shoot what sounded like at the very least 8 rounds into that guy. His arms were down, they were not extended and he was far enough away that even if he lunged they could have dodged it and put him into restraints.

The cops are supposed to serve and protect and if apprehending they were supposed to be trained to shoot to stop, not shoot to kill. There is a big difference.

I understand the frustration but if some one charges with a knife the police are given no choice. What happens if they shoot him in the leg but still charges them, or worse escapes with the weapon in hand and uses it on a civilian. He was to close to them to consider any other options.

Whatever happened to firing a warning shot or shooting to stop instead of kill? The police officer could have shot this man in the leg, knee or arm in order to try and stop him. I think two police officers opening fire on one man with a hand held weapon is extreme.

It is embarrassing that neither Cooper, nor Coumo acknowledge that when the cops arrive, the man pulls a knife out of his right jacket pocket with his right hand and starts to walk towards the officers, then upon reaching the wall, moves a little to the left as he passes the wall, again just for a moment. The guy has the knife in his right hand, blade forward and then starts to move toward the cop that got out of the right side of the SUV. With the knife in his right hand, he was maybe 2 seconds away from being able to do grave bodily harm to that officer. The cop had to shoot.

They can only say it appears to be a knife because it just simply isn't that clear. Is it a knife? Maybe it is? But not definitely according to this video. There is a legal distinction that actual journalists are bound by... Unlike folks on the internet who face no accountability. They both acknowledge he is holding something in his right hand. That the olice claimed is a knife. That's all they can say. For all we really know that could be anything. The police did say he lunged and raised the knife (pickle, straight razor, disney pen) So, if they "mis-remembered" that then could they have mis-remembered the big toothbrush or pickle that might have been in hand? Yes, I know that's ridiculous. Look, within three feet, a man with a knife can get to and kill a man with a gun. Anyone who has been in combat will confirm that. But by embellishing the story with the lunge and raised knife they call their own assessment into question.

PS I mean no disrespect to families involved or the police. I really don't think any of them are reading this.